There is a saying in Malagasy: “Ny
sary vitan’anamalaho tsy amonoana vatotr’akoho” = One should try use
natural means such as medicinal plants before resorting to Western
chemical medicines.
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Indigenous Saldinia leaves are chewed to relieve toothache |
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Roots of Crotalaria are used for medicine to treat fatigue |
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Fanja sells medicinal plants to city dwellers |
Traditional knowledge on medicinal and useful plants is still prominent in Madagascar. In the cities where locals have limited access to nature, healers offer dried plants materials from their pavement stalls.
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Afiafy (Malagasy) if used to treat stomach and liver problems |
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Andrarezina (Malagasy) is chewed to relieve sore throat and gums |
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Katrafay (Malagasy) is boiled and drank to help with muscle cramp |
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Ofika (Malagasy) is used as an ointment to treat boils |
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Leaves from the olive tree are boiled to make a herbal tea for general health benefits |
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Rambriazina (Malagasy) is used to relieve a sore throat, coughing and chest ailments |
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Eucalyptus leaves (Ravinkininimpotsy in Malagasy) are boiled to steam the face – this is inhaled to relieve headaches and congestion |
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Vatolalaka (Malagasy) seeds are used to treat arthritis as well as constipation |
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Veromanitra (Malagasy) is boiled to make a herbal tea for general health benefits |
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The hairs from maize plants, Volokatsaka (Malagasy), are used to treat hypertension |
While there is a wealth of knowledge about the indigenous plants, many introduced plants are also used for their medicinal properties. Lantana leaves, for example, are boiled to make tea which lowers blood pressure if it is too
high. While Cledimia is used to treat stomach ache
as well as to flavour rum.
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